The game of golf is a popular sport, enjoyed internationally by a growing number of people at both the professional and recreational level. Players of all ages are learning the game for the first time and finding a rich and rewarding activity that they can enjoy for many years to come.
Golf has been played for hundreds of years with the modern game first played sometime during the fifteenth century. Golf is generally played on a grass course consisting of nine or eighteen holes. Distance between each hole may vary between one hundred yards to greater than five hundred yards.
To travel the substantial distance involved in a game of golf, many players choose to use a motorized riding cart to carry themselves and their clubs and accessories. Others players, however, may prefer to walk a course for the health benefits. As with most strenuous physical activities, injuries may occur and thus it is advantageous to use proper equipment to minimize strain.
Traditional golf bags generally include a cylindrical housing to hold the golf clubs with additional pockets for accessory items. A main strap is attached to the golf bag. The main strap is usually attached along the length of the golf bag at a high point near the top or opening of the bag and a low point near the bottom of the bag. To carry a traditional golf bag, the main strap is placed over a shoulder with the opening of the bag facing forward or off to the side. The golf bag is carried slightly canted with the opening of the bag riding higher than the bottom of the bag. The golf bag is carried behind the user and depending on orientation, forward or side facing, the bag may be resting on the user's hip or across their lower back.
A disadvantage of the traditional golf bag is weight distribution. A golf bag with golf clubs weighs approximately 15 to 25 pounds. Traditional golf bags place all of this weight on only one point on the body, the shoulder. The main strap supports the weight of the entire bag including golf clubs, and is worn only on one shoulder. Over time, carrying the weight of the golf bag and clubs may cause soft tissue injury and spinal misalignment.
With the weight of the golf bag distributed to one side of the user's hip or lower back, the normal carrying position of a golf bag is cumbersome. The weight of the bag tends to shift as the user walks with the golf bag slung over his or her shoulder. The movement of the bag may unbalance the user and slow the user down. After several hours of golfing, a normal golf bag may become quite a burden to the user.